Experimental heterotopic heart transplantation without ischemia or reperfusion.
Current experimental models of heart transplantation include a period of ischemia after donor harvest, resulting in rhythm disturbances, myocardial distention, and reperfusion injury on implantation. A model of cervical heterotopic heart transplantation that avoids ischemia by using retrograde perfusion was developed. More than 100 consecutive successful transplantations have been performed both as control protocols and as a part of experimental protocols. The advantages of this technique include: avoidance of ischemia and reperfusion injury, prevention of myocardial damage caused by overdistention, and potential evaluation of pretreatment regimens for transplanted hearts.
Lin
H
H
Section of Thoracic Surgery, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor 48109.
Iannettoni
M D
MD
Goldblum
J R
JR
Bolling
S F
SF
D000818:Animals; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control; D009333:Neck; D009926:Organ Preservation; D051381:Rats; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic / Q000379:methods*